Apparatus for stabilizing and maneuvering submarines



p 17, 1957 H. H. HOKE, JR 2,806,441

APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING AND MANEUVERING SUBMARINES Filed May 15. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet r m x W W M ,a

s N h 3 3 INVENTOR. g; g; 1947 2395 [fa/563% ATTORN Y Sept. 17, 1957 H. H. HOKE, JR

APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING AND MANEUVERING SUBMARINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15. 1952 IN VEN TOR.

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Sept. 17, 1957 H. H. HOKE, JR

APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING AND MANEUVERING SUBMARINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 15. 1952 111... III I 9 a a l M 1 T b u .v: w 6 W" m 7 W 1 I L m 9 g m r" 3 a 1 r I I? a q Sept. 17, 1957 H. H. HOKE, JR 2,306,441

APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING AND MANEUVERING SUBMARINES Filed May 15, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTO'R.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING AND MANEUVERING SUBMARINES Harry H. Hoke, Jr., Washington, D. C.

Application May 15, 1952, Serial No. 287,980

8 Claims. (Cl. 114-16) The object of the invention is to provide apparatus for stabilizing and maneuvering submarines without the use of the regular power plant and its'attendant noise, where the submarine is seeking to hide from attack and would otherwise have its position disclosed by the noise emanating from the regular power plant; to provide apparatus for the purpose indicated in which the stabilizing appliances may be selectively actuated, so that the helmsman will have no difficulty in keeping the submarine on an even keel; to provide a steering apparatus that will enable the helmsman to maneuver the submarine within a small area; to provide apparatus of a character stated which, when not in use for maneuvering or stabilizing, may be made to function as an auxiliary propelling means; and generally to provide a maneuvering and stabilizing apparatus which, for the functions performed, is of comparatively simple form, comparatively cheap to manufacture, and of a character unlikely to get out of order in use.

With this object in view, the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional submarine showing the manner of applying the invention thereto;

Figure 2 is a top-plan view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an improved form of submarine showing the invention applied thereto;

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the construction by. which the stabilizing and maneuvering propellers are shifted from their positions as auxiliary propellers into the positions which they assume in carrying out their primary function;

t Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the structure of Figure 4; c

Figure 6 is ,a view in elevation and partly in section of the miniature power plant by whichthe stabilizing and maneuvering propellers are. energized;

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 6; f

'Figure 8 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 8-8 at Figure 6; i

'Figure 9 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 6-;

Figure 10 is a sectional viewillustrating the electric valve employed in the oxygen tank line;

Figure 11 is an elevational View, partly in section, of one of the dual motors for driving the maneuvering'and stabilizing propellers; I

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of the stator wiring of said motors;

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring by which the various propellers are controlled and are shifted from their positions as stabilizing and maneuvering propellers to positions where they function as auxiliary prop l s;

ice

Figure 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the structure of Figure 15;

Figure 15 is an elevational view of one of the stabilizing units, showing, in dotted lines, its vertical position.

Under present conditions it is impossible for a submarine to secrete itself when submerged without giving audible evidence of its approximate position, due to the necessity of operating the propellers. The present invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for maneuvering and stabilizing the submarine but without the use of the power plant, or batteries which constitute the source of power supply with submerged conventional submarines.

Whether the submarine be of the form shown at 20 in Figure 1, which is the conventional style or of the form shown at 21 in Figure 3, which is a deviation from the conventional style, the stabilizing means are identical and consist of the forward stabilizing units 22 and the rear stabilizing units 23. But identical units 24 and 25 are provided fore and aft for maneuvering or steering. All of these units are identical in construction and each consists of a cylindrical housing 26 formed with a central bearing web 27 and end cases 28. Interiorly, the housing carries the stators 29, and rotors 30 which are designed for operation on three-phase alternating current, so that rotation is imparted to the rotors solely through the rotating magnetic fields set up in the stators. The stators are made water-proof and in this respect are identical with the stators illustrated and described in application- No. 266,429, filed January 14, 1952. It is not necessary, therefore, to go into the details of how the windings of the stators are kept dry, as they must be, since the entire case or housing 26 is submerged.

The propellers 31 are positioned at opposite ends of the case and their shafts, which carry the rotors, are journaled in the end cases and in the division web 27. The propellers are of the form shown in application No. 241,513, now Patent No. 2,755,867, filed August 13, 1951, but are rotated in opposite directions, so that the spiral blade on the forward one is the reverse of the spiral blade on the aft one.

In Figure 12, the stator windings are illustrated diagrammatically. The windings 29A and 29B are connected together as shown, corresponding points in the two windings being connected together as indicated at a with relatively opposite points connected as indicated at b and 0. Thus it is apparent that one phase in the winding 29B is reversed as respects that phase in the winding 29A. Thus the two rotors 30 of any unit will rotate in relatively opposite directions, but since the spiral blades of the propellers follow reverse spiral angles, the two propellers have a combined propelling force in the same direction.

But the stabilizing and maneuvering propeller units are auxiliary appliances, and the submarine, when in movement is driven by the propeller units 32, the detailed construction of which it is not necessary to outline in view of the fact that they are identical to the propellers illustrated in application No. 266,429, filed on January 14, 1952, and No. 242,655, filed August 20, 1951.

Except when the submarine is submerged and it is being endeavored to keep its location secret, the propeller units 22, 23, 24, and 25 have their axes of rotation parallel to the keel of the submarine, or in axial coincidence with some of the propellers 32. In these positions, they constitute supplementary driving means for the vessel.

When the maneuvering or stabilizing functions are to be performed, however, the axes of the propeller units 22, and 23 must be vertical, or normal to the horizontal plane of the keel while the units 24 and 25 must have their axes transverse to the keel. To make this possible, each unit is provided with a'lateral arm 33 which is of tubular form, so that the conductors 34,.energizing the V statorsmay reach the windings of the latter. The arm 33 is mounted in a bearing box 35 passing through the wall of.-the.hull andisso. constructed asito receive the packing 36 'at the outside and inside of the. hullv and: to. receive. thepacking, nuts. 37 to .compressthe packing andeifecta water; ghtf connection, so. that, there. maybe no, leaking; where thcmaneuyer ingfor stabilizing. unit. is. mounted.

Interiorly. to. the. hull; the. arm 33. (which, is in. effect. a; ho1low.sliaft)-is. equipped. witha worm gear-38 in'mesh witha wormfifl. drivenflby athree-phase motor 40. on the shafi whichthe worm is, mounted;

On, the.- outer face. of the gear: 38. hut spaced. from the latter .a' eontachplate. supportedjhy bracket arms 42, up ing. froma; bracket 43. The. contact plate is. ofv insulating material and carries on its outer face adjacent. its periphery the contact segments44, 45,. 46,47, 48, and 49. Ihesefsegments are. positioned as shown and, are tra syersedf by thecontact; arms 50. and' 51. connected by the conductors 52 and 53 with two of the binding. posts o'fthe motor 40.; The other binding. post is connected. by meansof a..conductOr 54 with one pole ofja triple,- pole switch 55; The, purposeof this. constructionis to. provide a power means of shifting the. maneuvering and.

stabilizing units from their vertical to: their horiz'ontal.

positions and'viceversa. Such. afunction of course. calls for reversing the direction of, rotation ofv the motor'40, bu tgbeihg athree-phase motor, reversal can. be efiectedby reversing or interch nging any two. of the. three leads.

and this isaccomp lishedl when the contact arms. 50. and.

" 1j trav er se their attendant segments 44.to. 49.

Between the switch 55. and. the. contact disc 41, a. do le hrpw double pole s w-itch 5.6. is interposed, but h fisjf of 'a form to have, each of. its two legs. ge wo contactsin either of its two positions, the inner. contacts being referred to as supplementalcontacts. To. this end, the lower right-and. supplemental contact is electrically connected to the, segment 47 by a conducton 57;; The segment 4 8,'.WhiQh is longer; than either the. segment 47" or 49, isjconnectedf by -theconductor, 58,. with the. upperleftf han d.mainv contact of the. switch, while; theseginentf4 9 islconnected by means of} the. conductor 59; with the upper auxiliary lefthand contactjof the switch, The main contacts are cross-connected by, the. combo tors. ,6Q and The segment' 44. is connected. to the. upper right-hand auxiliary contactby means; o f aconductorl 6 2; thesegmerit 45' to the lower left hand' m ain. contact by. means:

of a conductor. 63 and the segment'46 to: the. lower. left.- hand auxiliarycontact by means of a conductor 64;; The blades of the switch. 56 are connected. by the.con'duc.torss 65 ;and 66 with two of the bladesot-theswitch 55. e

The switch 55 is a triplepoledouble-throwswitch and. when in the upper position,, connectsthe motors. 4tl with.

the conductors 67 Whidh. l'cadto the three:phase. genera..

tor ofthe main power plant of the. submarine, which; is the position" the switch will be in when. thesubmarineis traveling on the surface or, for. thatmatter, when itis.

navigating below the. surface in accordance with-theplanJ outlined. in application No.. 247,008, now Patent'N 2,720,856, filed September 17, 1951. When the; switch;

55 is in the lower: position, it connects the meters. 40. with invention, being designed to supply only limited power 'sufi'icient for stabilizing and maneuvering.

In order that it may be sound-proof, the base 76 is imposed on a rubber mat 77, seated on a secondary base 78, and a marginal cushion of rubber 79 is imposed upon the base and secured in position by a marginal flange 80 bolted to an upstanding flange; 812 formed integrally with the secondary base. Thecushioned. mounting for the. plant constitutes agnoise-siltancer. Inorder to eliminate all noise emanating from the apparatus, the whole is covered with aruhber hood 82iwhich, when; access is to be had. to any of, the, plant apparatus, may be raised by means of the cables83.

To provide for; adequate heat .dis sipation, the hood is provided with heat dissipation flanges 84 extending through the wall thereof but since these are spacedfrom each other and are solely rubber supported, they do not operatejas-"w means" fortransmitt-ing noiseg but only fior dissipating-heat: 3 v

Themaneuver-ing and stabilizing units when theiraxes; are'normalitwthe keel; are-operated from the; auxiliary power pla ntg but whenparallel to the keel are; operated. from th'eamain power-plant,- since they are" then auxiliary, propellers; i V V e In describingthe operation; of the-motor itwas i'n terided that* that should apply to-shiftingall" of the units 22} to 253 each ofwhich has the switching mechanism? comprising the segments 4410-49, but'flheswitchcon trolsi 'the wholeset.

It being-necessary to-reverse "the rotation of the units; a; reversing switch is provid'edf'or each; that is, there i's 'a" singlere versingswitch'$5ffor all-of the aft units; a sinflii-v lar switch 86j for all of theforwardunits; a switch 87for' the aft: steering unit' ls and a switch; 88 for theforward steeringu-nit 24i But" these switches only controltwo conductors, since that is all his necessary -to*cont rol; forchange 0i di i'ection' ina three phase-cireuit; Qne ter-minal of:eaclrof thek-unitsdh;'25; 24 a-nd 25* is connected'iin on.- tlie= conductor--54;- a-s byconductors- 89 and-"90: The switches 85 through 88 are double-pole, double-throw switches; and the -hinge contactsare connected by: the conductors 9.]; in: one-the conductors-- 65- and- 66. clip contacts are cross-connected, as is usual in double throw .donbleepole switches" used for reversing purposes and the clip contacts. of theswitch 85 are connected hw the conductorsfifli witln two ot 'the binding [postson; the units 23.; .Tihenswitches 85 th rough-88 areidenticaliim Constructiomambtheirvoutertoontacts are cross-connected as ,beforeiexplaihedr. The. clip: contacts of=theswitch- 87 are conneotedahy theic'onductors 93 :with the aft maneuver ingt unitfii. while the; clip; contacts of the switch: 88 areconnected by the conductors 94 with the forward maneu'-- VQIiIJggtl-llljlii 24.; The; clipicontacts: ofi-the switch 865.: are connected by the conductors 95 with the forward stabili'z--- ing units;- 2t2;. Qbviously, ifianyiofithe switches 85 through 3. lqwflizthreephasncurrentzwillzbefed totheselected units, or to all, if all;;-the;;switch.es;besclosed; thevpath ofi such being; overgthe conductors. v91, 92; and-3,89. Since the maneuvering units aretseparately closeds: and the;stabi;liging .npits independently controlled in paimiany one being susceptible of rotation, .eitheniright-handedlyzorv leftehgpdedly, depending .on thc: Position-pf. its particular switch, it is obvious that the maneuvering,propellerszmayi be: runt in .relatively opposite digections so that." the: ship may be turned ornan axis practicallyaatrthe longitudinal;-. center. oi the, keel, erit-gone ofg the; maneuvet gziunits lybe. iamnprat ont. urnedmflt an i t t-onezcnd oi:- the keel as an axis. Thus the boat may-b onvenicntlva Set qr.thefiti a ost mcd ss. as-ft m. t e o fl 9 llbes indicated at 96 in Figure 1. Of course, this.uoontmh.ofin i a l 1 fl !ti'. a H a hen-adjusted? om axes s-otherwise1theywould allirllfl1inith= liis proceedingfomitslcoursea The oporation of=shiitingthe units.fromtpositionsangne 2 lar to the keel to positions parallel to the keel i's mama plished by the actuation of the switch 56. Suppose that the unit is vertical, if it be a stabilizing unit, or trans- Verse, if it be a maneuvering unit, then the arms 50 and 51 will appear as in Figure 13, that is, they will bear on the segments 46 and 47 respectively. But then, the switch- 56 will be in the elevated position, it having been raised to that position to effect the assumed position of the unit. And in such position, the motor is deprived of current, the segments 46 and 47 being connected with the then unenergized supplemental clips at the bottom of the. switch. It is now desired to actuate the units to bring them into parallelism with the keel and the switch 5 6 is depressed so that its blades bridge the main and supplemental clips at the bottom. Then the segments 46 and 47 become energized, three-phase current flowing over the conductor 65, the switch blade, the supplemental clip, the conductor 57, the segment 47, arm 51, the condoctor 52 to another binding post of the motor, and over the conductor 66 to the left-hand blade of the switch, over the conductor 64, the segment 46, arm 50, the conductor 53 to the center binding post of the motor. Thus the motor will be put in operation, and rotating its worm and with it the worm gear will rotate the arm 33. But this results in rotating the arms 51 and 50 and they pass from the segments 47 and 46 onto the segments 48 and respectively, so that the increments of current that passed over the conductors 64 and 57 now pass over the conductors 63 and 58 to the segments 45 and 48 and to the motor binding posts as formerly. When the arms and 51 reach a horizontal position, they bear on the segments 49 and 44 but these segments are connected with the top supplemental contacts of the switch 58 and are dead when the switch is in the lowered position, so that the motor is brought to rest, two phases having been opened. The units will thus assume their positions longitudinally of the submarine until the switch 56 is reversed to have them assume axial positions transverse of the submarine. The arms 50 and 51 being disposed as they are, will act as indicators to show the positions of the units, whether their axes are transverse or longitudinal of-the boat. And the position of the switch 56, which will be inthe helmsmans cabin along with the switches 85, 86, 87, 88, and 55 will, by its position, indicate the positions 'of the units, the lowered position of the switch meaning that the units are longitudinally of the submarine and the upper position meaning thatthe units have their axes transverse of the submarine.

i It is obvious that the apparatus or mechanism constitutes a convenient means both for maneuvering and stabilizing, so that the main power plant may be out out of service and the stabilizing units operated independently, together, or relatively reverse directions to bring the boat on an even keel, just as the maneuvering units may be employed for turning the boat.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. Apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising, in combination with a submarine, propellers mounted laterally of said submarine at its forward end on opposite sides thereof and positioned to rotate on substantially vertical axes, other propellers also mounted laterally of said submarine at its aft end on opposite sides thereof and positioned to rotate on substantially vertical axes, a motor driving each propeller and positioned exteriorly of the submarine with its rotor coupled directly to such propeller, a miniature power plant energizing all the propeller motors and positioned interiorly of the submarine, and separate manual controls interposed between the power plant and the motors, one to control the operation of the forward lateral propellers and one to control the operation of the aft lateral propellers, so that either the forward propellers or the aft propellers may be operated or all operated together to keep on an even keel a submerged submarine seeking to conceal its position.

2. Apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising, in combination with a submarine, propellers mounted laterally of said submarine at its forward end on opposite sides thereof and positioned to rotate on substantially vertical axes, other propellers also mounted late-rally of said submarine at its aft end on opposite sides thereof and positioned to rotate on substantially vertical axes, addi-- tional propellers mounted exteriorly of said submarine with at least one at its forward end and the other at its aft end and positioned to rotate on substantially horizontal axes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the submarine, a motor driving each propeller and positioned exteriorly of the submarine with its rotor coupled directly to such propeller, a miniature power plant energizing thepropeller motors and positioned interiorly of the submarine, and a plurality of manual controls interposed between the power plant and the propeller motors to provide for the selective or combined operation of the propellers, one for the forward propellers, one for the aft propellers, one for the forward transverse propeller, and one for the aft transverse propeller, so that when the submarine is submerged and seeking to conceal its position, it may be kept on an even keel and maneuvered laterally.

3. Apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising, in combination with a submarine, motor units mounted laterally of said submarine at its forward end and positioned one on each side thereof, other motor units mounted laterally of the submarine at its aft end and positioned one on each side thereof, each unit comprising dual rotors, a propeller directly connected to each rotor and positioned one at each end of each of said units, all of said units being mounted to dispose the rotors on substantially vertical axes, a miniature power plant energizing all of said motors, and a plurality of manual controls for said motors, one to control the operation of the forward motor units and one to control the operation of the aft motor units, whereby the propellers may be actuated to keep the submarine on an even keel when it is submerged and seeking to conceal its position.

4. Apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising, in combination with a submarine, motor units mounted laterally of said submarine at its forward end and positioned one on'each side thereof, motor units mounted laterally of the submarine at its aft end and positioned one on each side thereof; said units being mounted with their axes substantially vertical, additional motor units mounted on top of said submarine with one adjacent to the forward end and one adjacent to the aft end, the last said units having their axes of rotation substantially horizontal but transverse to the longitudinal axis of the submarine, each motor unit comprising dual rotors, a propeller directly connected to each rotor and positioned one at each end of said unit, a miniature power plant energizing all of said motors, and separate manual controls interposed between the motor units and the power plant, one to control the operation of the forward lateral motor units, one to control the operation of the aft lateral motor units, one to control the forward transverse motor unit and one to control the rear transverse motor unit, whereby a submerged submarine, whose position is sought to be concealed, may be kept on an even keel and maneuvered laterally.

5. Apparatus for the purpose indicated comprising, in combination with a submarine, stabilizing propellers mounted laterally of the submarine at its forward and aft ends and on opposite sides thereof, steering propellers mounted on top of the submarine at its forward and aft ends, motors directly connected one to each propeller, mounting means for said motors whereby they may be rotated bodily through an angular distance of ninety degrees by which the axes of rotation of the stabilizing propellers may be changed from substantial verticality to substantial horizontality and the axes of the steering propellers from positions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the submarine to positions parallel to said axis, a miniature energizing plant for all of said motors, and a plurality of manual controls interposed between the propeller motors and the power plant, one to control the 7 forward stabilizing propellers, one" tor control the aft stabilizing propellers, one to control the forwardsteering propellers; and one to; control the real? steeringpropellers, whereby the submarine may be kept'onan even" keel when submerged-and"concealing*its position and'thestabiliz-ing and'steering-propellersmay befmade'to' function as propelling units when the=-submarine is progressing.

65 Apparatus for thepurposeindicated comprising, ineornbi-nation with a submarine; stabilizing, propellers mountedone on each side-"of thesubm'arine'both atitsforward end and aftend, steering" propellers mounted on topof said submarine both at its forward end and" one at its aft" end; driving motors directly connected" to' each of? said propellers, means for; bodily shifting said propellers, the-stabilizingpropellersfrom substantial verticality= to s'ubstantial 'liorizontality and the steeringpropellers from-positions transverse to, the longitudinal axis of" the submarineto, positions parallelwith the submarine-axis, a central submarine-contained energizing" source for said propeller motors, a single manual control for the bodily shifting means, and aplurality of manual controls for the propeller driving motors, one for those of the forward stabilizing propellers, one'for'thoseof'theaft stabilizingpropellers, onefor the forwardsteering'propellers, and

one for the aft'steering propellers, Wherebythe submarine may be kept on an even keel when submerged in coneeal-ment of its position and'the stabilizing and steering propellers employed toassist in propelling itwhen pro-- gressing.

7. Apparatus for the purpose indicatedflcomprising, in combination with a submarine, stabilizing; propellers mounted one on' each side of the submarine both at'its forward end and aft end, steering propellersmounted on' top-of' said submarine both at its, forwardend and aft end, energizing motors directly; connected to' each ofsaid propellers, motordriven means for bodily shifting said propellers, the stabilizing propellers from substantial verticality to substantial horizontalityand thesteering propellers from positions transverse to the axis of the submarineto positions-substantially parallelto'such axis; a; central submarine-"contained energizing-source for said propeller motors, a manual control interposed between theenergizing sourceand the motor driven bodily shifting means, and a plurality of manual controls for'the propeller motors, one for the forward stabilizing" propellers, onefor the aft stabilizing propellers, one for the forward steering propellers, and one for the aft steerlers, the stabilizing'propellers from substantial verticality to substantial horizontality, and the steeringjpropellers trom posltionstransverse to the: axis of the submarine to positions where such'ax'esar'e parallerwith the sub-j marine axis, a central submarine-contained energizing source for said propeller motors, a plurality of manual controls interposed between the energizing source and Y the propeller motors, one to control the. operation of the forward stabilizing'propellers; one tocontrol the operation of the aft stabilizing propellers; one to control the operation of the forward steering'propellers and one? to control the operation of the aft steering propellers, the bodily shifting'means comprising a motor operatively connected with each-propellerdriving motor andh'aving an automatic switch included in said operative" conne'ction, whereby the operation of the bodily shifting motor is limited to effect" the shifting of the propellerfi driving? motor an angular distanceof' ninety' degrees; andiasingle control'switch for all of'themotors'eflfectingbodily movement of the propellermotors. I

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